More Chinese warships are set to enter Australian waters, Australian Defence Force chief warns
Australians should expect more Chinese naval flotillas to sail into our waters, the ADF chief has warned – and the Deputy PM says we know “exactly what they’re rehearsing”.
Australians should expect more Chinese naval flotillas to enter our waters, says Defence Force chief David Johnston, issuing a veiled warning against more unannounced live fire exercises.
Speaking at the Defending Australia summit in Canberra’s Parliament House, Admiral Johnston said the defence force had shadowed a Chinese flotilla throughout its circumnavigation of Australia in February in a “proportionate” response, but did not directly comment on a Virgin pilot notifying authorities of its live fire exercise.
Asked if he believed another flotilla would return, Admiral Johnston said: “Yes ... we do expect that they will be in the Indian Ocean (and) in the southwest Pacific at a more regular rate than we have seen.”
Defence Minister Richard Marles said China had “engaged in the biggest conventional military build-up since the end of the Second World War”, which unquestionably was “at the heart of the complex strategic circumstances that we face”.
Early career defence personnel and students also quizzed leaders including Australian Submarine Agency director-general Jonathan Mead, who said there were “thousands of job opportunities” ahead in the nuclear-powered submarine project but authorities needed to better engage with the public about them.
Admiral Johnston echoed Mr Marles, saying China was seeking to demonstrate its dramatically expanded military capability and “exert the influence they believe is in their national interests”.
“The task group’s presence in our waters is a demonstration of that capacity,” he said.
Asked how the Chinese navy would respond if Australia conducted live fire exercises in the South China Sea, Admiral Johnston did not directly respond but outlined his expectation of professional naval behaviour.
“We are a very professional Australian Defence Force with a very professional navy capability. We’re very clear on what does professional maritime behaviour look like,” he said.
“And avoiding disturbing civil air lanes or civil maritime traffic is not that type of professional behaviour that we see. We manage ourselves in a way that when we do firings, we are very clear on the area of the nature of warnings that are provided in order to achieve our objectives, without causing disruption.”
Admiral Johnston said technology had brought “critical areas of rapid change”, saying “we have to consider how northern Australia might support combat operations”.
Asked if China was a military threat to Australia, Mr Marles said its military build-up was bigger than at any point during the Cold War.
“Now to properly nail that down, it is also engaging in a nuclear build up as well, not on the same scale as what we saw during the Cold War but in conventional terms bigger,” he said.
“And it unquestionably is shaping the region in which we live. It unquestionably is at the heart of the complex strategic circumstances that we face.”
Mr Marles said this was intensified by the fact that China had not given “strategic reassurance” about the motivation behind this extraordinary military escalation.
But Australia had explained to our neighbours about the decision to acquire and build nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact.
“Every country has a right to properly invest in its own defences. But what’s really important is that you provide strategic reassurance to your neighbours and to the world about what that’s about,” Mr Marles said.
Commenting on the unannounced live-fire exercise, Mr Marles said: “It is very much not diplomacy or defensive diplomacy obviously ... none of that provides strategic reassurance.”
Mr Marles did not directly answer questions about whether the Chinese flotilla was rehearsing plans to target Australian cities or facilities, but said the unprecedented level of surveillance meant “we do know exactly what they were doing and exactly what they’re rehearsing”.
Vice Admiral Mead, a 42-year military veteran, was among leaders giving career advice to students and early career defence and industry personnel.
“If you have a sense of purpose and you’re focused and dedicated, you will achieve what you’re setting out for,” he said, responding to a question from Findon Technical College student Matthew Goldsworthy.
“There are thousands of job opportunities (in the nuclear submarine industry), and one of the things we need to do better at is engaging with the Australian public and engaging with them.”
The “one thing” that BAE Systems Australia chief executive Craig Lockhart said would help young people to succeed was simple hard work.
“You’ve got decades worth of opportunity in front of you … it’s down to you. If you want that opportunity it’s there, grasp it with two hands and in 20-30 years you could be doing what we’re doing,” he said.
ASC chair Bruce Carter said, for a young person who joins the company, every opportunity and support would be offered – with paid training. Defending defence spending in the face of United States calls to increase to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product, Mr Marles said Australia would focus on acquiring necessary capability rather than a financial benchmark.
“The strategic threat that we are seeking to meet is to deter any potential adversary that would seek to coerce us. That is our strategic threat, and I am confident in that we have the agency in this country and we are on a path to build up our defence force to meet that threat,” he said.
Premier: We will build a subs fleet here
By Emily Olle
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas provided one definitive assurance at Defending Australia 2025.
“Australia is going to build submarines,” he said.
The premier said it was incomprehensible for any government to conclude otherwise, as a Pentagon-ordered AUKUS review looms over the $368bn project.
“We are an island nation … and we require a sophisticated and advanced submarine fraternity. Any alternative (to building the submarines) would leave us with none at all,” he said.
He said, in a worst-case outcome, should the Virginia Class submarines not be transferred to Australian sovereign control, that should simply tell our nation that we must be building them ourselves.
This, he said, was why his government was in unequivocal support of the AUKUS deal.
He said a silver lining of the review was that it would mark a “significant achievement”, should the deal survive.
“We should not fear, nor should we resist the review of AUKUS. Responsible governance demands that incoming governments examine such commitments,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“For those who fear that kind of scrutiny, I say: ‘Get used to it’.
“(Scrutiny and review) should be expected, because it is appropriate.”
Mr Malinauskas called for the public release of a comprehensive master plan of the Osborne submarine yard, to provide the market certainty that the multibillion-dollar program was approaching development stage.
The premier began his keynote speech pointing to the moment, he believed, the geopolitical landscape shifted for our current age – June 23, 2016. Brexit.
“Post Brexit, everything has changed in domestic politics,” he said.
“In fact, one of the few constants in recent years has been speakers at summits such as this reach for new synonyms for unprecedented and volatile, to recognise that we live in an uncertain geopolitical moment.
“But this shift in the defence landscape must not paralyse us, or force us into panic.”
Mr Malinauskas said now was the time for calm and investment.
He said while SA was energised by the economic benefit of the deal, its enthusiasm was not driven by state-based parochialism, but by a belief in its necessity.
“We are not short on economic demand. SA does not need to build submarines for economic salvation,” he said.
“We choose to take a leadership role because we believe we have the expertise to lead this long-term, comprehensive and absolutely necessary project.
“But SA does not want, nor can we, deliver AUKUS alone. So I encourage my other counterparts in the states and territories to get on board.”
The premier said partnerships between the state, learning institutions and industry would be critical in ensuring the country had the skills required to deliver the project.
“There are few places on earth with our level of security, economic stability and standard of living,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“Retreating into isolation paranoia is not going to make this country safe. Isolation breeds division and delivers yet more fear.
“We are a democratic, multicultural and highly educated nation. We have world-class talent and we are investing everyday to ensure we nurture that even more.”
Mr Malinauskas said Matthew, a Findon Technical College student invited to Parliament House today, asked: “Why this industry?”
Because, the premier said, it has purpose and meaning.
“Our defence industry relies on young people like you recognising the gravity of the moment,” he said.
“Our democracy is not an accident, our democracy has been hard fought and won. We have to sustain that commitment, because people put their lives on the line to honour that very cause.
“In today’s climate, that work has never mattered more. In uncertain times, the only certainty we can rely on is the one that we can create.
“The global outlook is unpredictable, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. But by choosing to do the hard things and the smart things … we can courageously continue to chart our own destiny.”
Originally published as More Chinese warships are set to enter Australian waters, Australian Defence Force chief warns
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